Spare theatre capacity of 37% is key issue

The Audit Office report examined the use of operating theatres in the province.

The report, produced by Comptroller and Auditor General John Dowdall, found that using operating theatres "to their optimum" could directly contribute to the reduction in waiting lists and the length of time which patients have to wait for treatment.

It said Northern Ireland's waiting lists are "currently the worst in the United Kingdom".

CRITICISMS Spare theatre capacity of 37% is key issue Not enough cardiac procedures in NI hospitals Theatre use committees need to be reformed Theatre activity monitoring limited and basic Staff need to work as a team Staff leave and theatre maintenance must be considered Trusts must be able to compare against each other Surgical time overruns must be monitored Consultants and theatre nurses are understaffed

The Comptroller and Auditor General is the head of the Audit Office, which is independent of the government and reports on the economy and efficiency of departments and public bodies.

The report found there was considerable scope for further improvements and restructuring in the management of operating theatres.

It found decisions on the use of the health service's 102 operating theatres in 21 hospitals were directly related to the availability of staff and beds, as well as to the volume and nature of emergency cases.

Chairman of the Assembly's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Billy Bell said such "inefficiency" could not be tolerated.

"If the Assembly was not in suspension, the PAC would have been asking some very serious questions of the responsible officials," said Mr Bell, who is an Ulster Unionist assembly member for Lagan Valley.

"This is causing unnecessary suffering, pain and even death and is an issue which needs to be addressed immediately."

Mr Bell said the report highlighted a high incidence of cancelled operations, inconsistent and incomplete data maintained by hospitals on theatre utilisation, and poor management of cover for annual leave and sick leave for surgical and theatre personnel.